Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea at Insole Court

Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea 0

Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea
early May 2017

Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea 1

Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea
late June 2019

Grid reference ST 15059 77656
Common name Purple beech
Common name Copper beech
Alternative name Fagus sylvatica Atropurpurea Group
Origin Europe
Deciduous Yes
TROBI Remarkable Tree 2017
Height 23.5M May 2017
Girth 498cm April 2017
Reference 516

This tree is towards the east end of the Rock Garden.

Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea bark

Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea bark
early May 2017

Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea leaf

Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea new leaves
late April 2017

Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea flower

Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea flowers
late April 2017

Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea fruit

Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea fruit
mid May 2017

Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea fruit2

Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea fruit
early July 2017

General tree description for Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea

Fagus sylvatica f. purpurea is a purple-leaved form of the Common beech Fagus sylvatica. Its leaves are pale red in spring and mature to become deep purple. The Purple beech grows naturally, though the majority of seedlings are ordinary green or only faintly coloured, and only occasionally are deep rich purple-leaved plants produced. In cultivation these are selected.

General tree description for Fagus sylvatica

Fagus sylvatica, the Common or European beech, is a large tree, up to 40 metres tall, with smooth, silver-grey bark. Typically it has a long straight trunk supporting a huge dome and dense foliage. The leaves are up to 10cm long, oval or obovate, with a wavy margin and small irregular teeth. They emerge fresh green, becoming darker and shiny above, pale and shiny underneath, and in autumn turning a golden copper colour. Yellow-green flowers come with the leaves in early May. The male flowers are catkins, while the female flowers come in pairs of short spikes enclosed in a cup. They produce the beechnuts, small triangular nuts in spiky husks.